Canon advisory warns of counterfeit EF 50mm F1.8 II lenses

Canon has issued a service notice advising users of counterfeit Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II DSLR lenses that ‘fraudulently display the Canon logo’ and company trademarks. Canon became aware of these counterfeit lenses after customers began bringing them into company service centers seeking repairs.

According to the service notice, Canon was not involved in the design or manufacturing of these fraudulent lenses, which can be identified based on the ‘Canon Inc’ company name molded into the mount. Genuine Canon lenses feature a space between the words ‘Canon’ and ‘Inc’ while the counterfeit lenses do not feature this space.

The counterfeit EF 50mm lenses are made using electric circuits and parts on the interior, Canon warns, which fail to meet safety standards in multiple countries. Canon further advises that it isn’t liable for any issues that could result from using these fake lenses.